1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a device for orienting and securing a fuel injector for an internal combustion engine.
2. Background Art
Various types of holding devices or clamps have been developed for use in internal combustion engines to secure fuel injectors in corresponding cylinders of the engine. Clamps may also provide angular orientation of each injector within the cylinder to properly position the injector spray pattern relative to the piston and inlet/exhaust ports. Injector clamps satisfy various requirements that may depend upon the particular application, such as providing a sufficient force to seal the injector against the combustion pressure and providing an axial force without significant bending or torsional forces. In addition, it is desirable to minimize the number of clamps and associated fasteners to reduce part count, engine weight, and cylinder head complexity, and to simplify initial assembly operations as well as any subsequent service operations.
One fuel injector clamp design has a separate clamp for each injector using a single bolt and a pivot end opposite the injector. This configuration directs only about one-half of the bolt force into the injector with the remaining portion loaded back into the cylinder head. Other designs use a single bolt to secure two adjacent injectors, but do not allow servicing of a single injector without entirely removing the clamp or, in some cases, require removing the clamp and both injectors. Various other clamp designs use two bolts per clamp, which may result in uneven clamping forces applied to the injector(s). Some prior art implementations require removal of the rocker cover to service the injectors.